Mar 13 2009
All of the boys and all of the girls are begging to . . .
If. U. Seek. Amy.
Ok, so, I have to admit, I love the pop princess - “Now, Queen of Pop” - and I’m SO in love with her latest album, Circus. In fact, before my phone was stolen a week ago, I had the local radio station number programmed in my phone as “Win Britney Tix!!!”. I’ll, erm, let ya know how the winning of those tickets goes . . . so far, it hasn’t happened. Yet!
I know the Britster’s not Debussy or anything, or even Elton John, but, well, girls do just want to have fun, and Brit’s got the beats to have fun to. It’s much like how I know I’m not writing any Flannery O’Connor here.
But anyways, as any good Spears fan, I bought the Deluxe edition of the album a long time ago, so I heard the song, “If U Seek Amy,” long before it started popping up on the radio and in the opening credits of “The City.” But, and I promise I’m really not this slow, I just figured out what the song is saying. Well, ha, a friend opened up my ears to it.
So. Say it slowly and listen carefully: If. U. Seek. Amy.
Now say, “All of the boys and all of the girls are begging to If U Seek Amy.” Got it?
Word is she’s causing quite the controversy, but to be honest, would we want anything else from the girl? The Parents Television Council has now renamed the song, “If U See Amy,” essentially just taking out the ‘k’ in “seek.” And that’s the version you’ll hear on radios from now on.
So what do we think about this? On the one hand, it is a little disturbing to have your kids walking around singing those lyrics (or so I would imagine), but, can any parent really be under the illusion that Spears should still be their own little Britney’s role model? Didn’t they learn the lesson there when Spears had their kids singing “Slave 4 U?”
I think it’s amusing and fairly clever. She’s just having some fun with her adoring public. But I’m not a parent yet, I’m the girl dancing to Spears in the club.
By the way, in case you haven’t figured it out yet, or if you just want to see the video, here it is: http://www.britneyspears.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.fcgi/6801
I am torn. I’m no mother, but I think of the boys I babysat for since before the youngest was even born (whaaaaat! crazy. I’m old) as my babies. And I gotta say, it was very disturbing to hear the oldest one sing “Candy Shop”. But that aside, it’s a double entendre, parents, and kids don’t get the entendre. Or the double. Whatever. So just ’cause it makes you feel icky to hear them saying that doesn’t mean they’re absorbing the naughty part and will grow up to be sex fiends.
Kids aren’t naturally pervos like us grown folks, so parents need to quit with the knee jerk PC reaction. Especially since, like you, I never would have even gotten it without the instructions from you (You see that? You’re corrupting me). And we’re working with college educated brains here.
And by this point any mother who lets their daughter think Britney’s a good role model really shouldn’t be complaining. Let them listen to the music and enjoy it for what it is - a stupid pop song with a badass beat. And just make sure the kiddies understand that she is a fuh-reak and not to be emulated.
Yeah?
Yep, yeah, totally. You so get me.
I agree with Gwen. In 99% of these cases, the kids have no idea what the songs mean or understand the “hidden messages.” By pointing it out to them all you’re going to do is start that awkward chat way too soon.